I just spent an amazing day at Eben Emael - INSIDE all the forts, from Kanal Nord to Cupola 120 - you should be very excited:-)

My great uncle Max Hein was one of the Paras that attacked it. 1st Btn Falshirmjager. He was hung by his webbing over a gun emplacement to sling a satchel charge in. He inspired me to join up.

This was a real eye opener for me, I’ve been watching war documentaries for over 25 years and I had never heard of this fort, truly amazing how the Germans managed to take it with just a small force..

This is the first time I've seen a clear examination and explanation of the fort. I've been hearing about it for years, mostly through diagrams, and the German glider attack that neutralized it, but I never understood the vastness of the underground facilities until now. Thank you.

What a massive complex, all that money for something taken so cheaply and quickly. So many blunders by the Belgians. Thank you Tino for this wonderful Documentary.

Since I was a child always thought about this fort . What a amazing video. Fabulous history tour . Thank you .

thank you during the 1980's we used to setup radio relay site on top of the fort. It was still officially still a military base so we could not go inside.

Love your boots on the ground approach to history good job Tino!

Whew get ready to shed a few tears. My ancestors came from Belgium and my father used to tell us they never would surrender. There was just nothing left of our ancestral home. They resisted the Germans in World War I and the Germans wiped out their town. They resisted again in World War II and the Germans wiped out the town. The Battle of the Bulge ended with a German tank running out of gas in the town. The Germans killed the city leaders again. There was nothing left to visit, so we never did. Maybe I will take my kids there someday. Talking about Belgium and the early 20th century usually ended with someone crying.

Our Village Doctor when i was a child was a veteran from the second world war. He had a Friend who was one of the paras who took Eben Emael. I remember tales of a long preparation periode were the paras were not allowed to even write home. They were keept seperated from any other unites and all outside contact was denied. In this training phase they wore uniforms without insignia or rank and this and the fact that they were often seen lifting 50kg havy concrete blocks up and down the practice ground convinced everyone who saw them that they must be part of a penal unit. On the day not every think went to plan and at the beginning there was a lack of shape charges so not every threat to the attacker could be neutralized immediately. The belgian soldiers would constantly rotate their turrets. One of these constantly turning turrets had an outside visible gear ring. So one of the paras started shooting at one spot at the ring untill so many tooth of the gear ring were missing that when the drive sprocket of the turning turret came over that spot the turret stoped and was incapacitated - with a simple rifle! The men of the paras had a little drink before the mission to give them courage before the operation. One of them may had a little to much & he was the one riding on one of the turning turrets and firing his service pistol into the canons muzzle. All paras were higly decorated after the sucessful mission except from this one - nazis had really no humor. After the operation all wholes by shaped charges were filled with concrete and painted over as this new weapon was still very secret. When i was in the german army we visited Eben Emael privatly with a group of nco and we were shown around by a very nice and competend lady guide. The inside was closed when we were there but we were more interessted in the outside anyway. Huge and impressive. Sorry for everyone that was killed or wounded there. Thanks for the nice video. Regards from germany.

another great episode thank you Tino and a big thanks to all the volunteer to preserve this history

The thought of a 50kg charge going off in the tight confines of the area around those doors is terrifying.

Thank you for making this video showing us the features of Fort Eben Emael and recounting the full story of the battle that happened there.

So true @ 43:49 regarding how vast this fort complex actually is, compared to the typical gloss-over by many documentaries on this battle. Thanks for clearly illustrating this by walking the grounds, bunkers and forts. Looks like a heck of a workout!

I visited Eben Emael in 1974-75 when it was closed and the care-taker was a former crewman in Turret 120>> The place was shrouded in mystery, and its fall was blamed on inside treasonous acts. We only had the book, :the Fall of Eben Emael" by Col. James E. Mrazek (1970)....> He covers step by step, as you did, each move made by each side as to what happened..........We had to avoid the old caretaker, and slipped upon top of the Fort without him knowing.....Trees were not as you see them now, and trenches on top still were showing....Good Tour, Tino.

Hey Tino, i'm a true fan of your work, and yet i somehow missed this episode from a year ago... your story telling here is top notch! you retell this battle in a very entertaining and informative way. every aspect is just...awesome. and all the amazing footage & pictures you find, to the editing to convey the story, just top quality work!

This was awesome, thank you again Tino!

Great video! That fort is truly huge. Like you stated always hard to appreciate the size from a drawing.

Remarkable job and thanks for all your time and effort. I can't imagine the time and resources you spent making all the research, drawings, squetches, inteviews, etc...Every minute of your documentaries means many hours of hard work. There is a big difference between a field historian like you than a arm chair one. THANKS YOU.

I actually knew of this story. But it took me almost 20 years of learning about WW1 + 2, watching countless documentaries, reading numerous books etc to hear about this story. It is not well known at all, even though it is an amazing story, well worth knowing!

Very interesting & filmed brilliantly , a real pleasure to watch , fantastic

What a tour, outstanding detail & a thoroughly professional presentation of the battle history. You are doing a great job of elevating your production level, very enjoyable to watch. Thank you.

Just back from a visit to the fort. Great video thanks for all the info

Thanks for a fantastic video and I have learned a lot of new information about what happened. The insight and background that you provided is brilliant. I am enjoying catching up on your videos now that I have found your channel.

Sturmgruppe Granit undergoing training in my Hometown.Hildesheim.Fort Eben Emael was rebuild on Osterberg Training Ground in Hildesheim.It was the braves Action ever ever did.

have a cigar , sir! you deserve it..i never see this on history channel .,,,the details ..great military production ..eben is huge...just reading books is not enough...you have to be on the ground ... love your obsession ...the children must learn this crazy war, for real

I am convinced that, thus far, this documentary is you very best. You are clearly dedicated to your endeavousr and prepare very carefully, which thing alone is worthy of the highest praise. One can easily draw many useful lessons out of this video, ranging from the purely technical, to the ethical and further...much further. In conclusion I want to thank you profusely, for your work generally and, i repeat, for this episode in particular. Keep up the good work sir. Cheers.

Appreciate you detailed history of fortress Eben Emael's capture !

Amazing narrative and supporting video! Among the best historical presentation I've ever seen!

Thank you Tino for your time and effort to explore this fort. This structure was massive even by today's standards.

Thank-you Tino. I've been fascinated by Eben Emael ever since I've learned about it. This is the best walk-through documentary I have ever seen seen, by far. Perhaps you could do a follow up on the battle just using diagrams only and include activities concerning the bridges as well? Seeing all of these bunkers, cupolas, machine gun nests, etc and trying to keep track of the flow of the battle is difficult. Thanks again!!

1979 to 1983 I was stationed at Royal Air Force NSU Tongeren a Nato base about 12 kms away it is an amazing place to visit , this excellent video brings it to life but a real visit is really worth it .

Absolutely fascinating insight into an amazing military operation. I have explored along the Maginot Line and I am certainly looking forward to visiting Fort Eben Emael.

Eben emael has interested me since i was a teenager. Good video sir.

Fantastic Documentary Tino.

This was a fascinating film and the first of yours that I have seen. I have now subscribed. Brilliant work.

Thank you for another enjoyable hour.

Yes! I have the fortune of still living in this general area have have seen some of these amazing historical sites. I bought an e- MTB and use it to cover much more ground than by foot. These things are varitable mountain goats and will go over and up anything. Some even have a "walk " mode for places where you cannot ride, even up stairs so there is no strain on your body. Just a suggestion for future endeavors. Great work! I love it!

Very much thank sir. The details of the battle are awe inspiring. I wondered for years how the fallshirmjager pulled it off!

Tino sir, you are showing all the good stuff most documentaries omit, thank you! you are a good actor

Absolutely Brilliant. Terrific narrative, I think, in my humble opinion one of the finest videos you've produced, thank you for making these Interesting historical wartime videos.

I read, and study a lot af ww2 history, but your chanel, is an really eye opener, so mutch i did´nt know before.

FANTASTIC look at an amazing fort. thank you!

"...firing canister...detrimental to the paratroopers' health..." you have a gift for understatement. Great video!

Another great video! Thanks! I like how you explained the whole past in a lovely story way. I love your videos. Thanks agian.

You called the Fallschirmyager men who fought here brave. As a grandson of a man who opposed Germans and later Russians... A Polish Army Officer, I agree.

Very interesting. Your tour gave a very good impression of the size and layout of this fort. Cheers.

Went here today and only a 40 min drive from where I live in Belgium, very impressive if you are interested in war history! Amazing that I could say I walked where they walked. Much respect for them

Fantastic story. It would make a great movie.

Very nice work lad! Thank you!

Incredible history so well told and such detailed research, investigation and footage hats off to you sir! I always loved the show battlefield detectives but you take it to another level

I served in the airborne engineer company 260, the Bundeswehr succssor of the airborne engineers. I met Rudolf Witzig personally on an formal occasion and was very impressed. It saddens me extremely, but the official position of the german state is, that stories like this are not "traditionworthy" for the Bundeswehr because the soldiers fought for the Nazi cause. Eben Emael for us was an example what a handful of motivated and well trained paratroopers can accomplish.

Phenomenal report, Herr Struckmann! The battle of belgium an the netherlands are also very interesting! Additionally all the forts and defensive lines, which where connected to this conflict in that area.

Thanks for showing the true dimensions of places like Eben Emael, Tino.

Her von Struckmann 2 years ago I went there to have a look. There was also a glider inside. I then had a pancake with beer at the restaurant opposite the entrance. Good video!

Thx again for this nice video Tino

Great video as always. Keep up the good work :)

Brilliant Tino wanted to see this place for years!

Outstanding video and commentary, planning to go in September!!!

My compliments for your explanation of how this fort works. How it works in offense and defense and illuminates both sides. I have not seen a clearer video about Fort Eben Emael as you made it. Kornwerderzand is also an interesting defense work located in the Netherlands. This was attacked by the Germans in 1940, but due to the good positioning of the bunkers, the attack failed. In 1945, when the Allies faced the same fact and task, the Allies refrained from an attack because of the risk of many casualties. As far as I am concerned, Kornwerderzand belongs in the list of best defenses.

I often wonder what they teach at West Point or other military schools. How do we prepare our future soldiers now? This was such basic and yet sophisticated thinking. It does all comes down to military intelligence sources; and then trusting in those sources. An amazing story that I was unaware of. Thanks for putting this together.

just found this best histroy great amazing videos

Thank you that was a great tour and explanation

Op een paar details na , een zeer goede reportage.

Good stuff , Thank you Tino.

Outstanding! well done sir!

Great video. Been there few years ago but only walking the outside of it (it is vast!).

Outstanding video!

Congratulations... From Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

very very good. a major piece of WW2 history, known by any student of waring history, but not shown in this detail. thank you, well done.....

i visited this location as a teen. i live in germany next to the border of NL and BEL and this is a sight to visit if you are interested in military stuff. there are tours guided by locals you can schedule i think, but sadly nothing like a 7 days a week museum. Still the tours are very detailed and show the history of the fort aswell as the story of the german capture. so if you are around give it a visit!

To Use A Pun Tino, "A Bang Up Job".! All Your Video Coverage In The Air, On The Ground, In The Tunnels, & Galleries, Your Commentary, & History, & The Help Of Great Staff, Truly Brings It All Home, & Right To The Point.! I've Watched It Many, Many Times In Countless Doc's Filled With Concise Footage, & Then Piecing It All Together Like A Puzzle, & Each Hectare Of 30, Football Fields Large A Lay Out For The Massive Spread, & You Truly Exemplified The Surmounting Acreage It Took, To Hit Hard, Fast, & Accurately, That Made This Siege A Swift Victory For The Germans, & A Powerful Loss For Belgium's Army, & Ultimately Their People That Had Paid The Ultimate Price, Of Being Quickly Over Run, & Occupied.! A Demoralizing String Of Defeats, & The Well Thought Out Germans Had All The Converging Plans Funneling All Into One Massive Sweep Of Crushing Defeats, & Shows Just How Advanced, & Prepared, & Thoroughly They Had Followed Up, & Shows Just Exactly How A Few Errors Can Spiral Into A Whirlwind Of Continuous Blows That The Wiley Germans Took Full Advantage Of, As They Flooded Over The Low Countries, Like A Tidal Wave Of Spilling Water From A Ruptured Dam, & With Incredibly Little Losses In The Process Of Putting The Hard & Fast Defeats Delivered One After The Other.! Making Them, "The Masters Of EUROPA" From The Brilliant Form Of Strategy They Employed, Falling Each Battlefield Like A Complex Row Of Dominos.! Great Job Tino.! I Thank You, & Salute You, As I'm Sure Most All Would Kindly Agree Of The Very Tremendous Job Of Putting All These Greatly Made Videos All Together, Covering The Worlds Greatest Known Conflict, In A Well Covered, & Comprehensive, Bit Sized, & A Quite Digestible Palette Of Elements That Are All Entertaining, & Highly Knowledgeable.! . . PEACE . . ! Sincerely, Best Regards, World War II Enthusiast, Mick 'O~>

Outstanding video. Thank you. Gotta wonder how many times that a religious busy body and a few ladies of the night have seriously messed up military operations throughout history.

Excellent , thank you.

Very good documentary!greetings from belgium.

I live at 1 hour driving from Eben Emael. I've been there. Very interesting. Thanks for making this video.

Been there more then once , mostly one the outside making walks with my dog. Those gun domes on the roof look like ufo's from a distance . The dome in the center has the air outlet from the ventilation system , when it's turned on the idea of ufo get's stronger due to the noise that's coming out. Walking a little further you can find some sandstone caves looking down to the canal. Awesome place to visit !

Excellent Presentation

Great VARIETY of content on this channel. All of it done very well. Not just about ww2. However the ww2 stuff is incredibly covered well. Full of information and little tidbits of important information. My second favorite documentary about eben emal.

Excellent, I'm with you all the way. Great documentary

I've been waiting for this..

I had the great good fortune to interpret for the late Oberst Witzig who guided a British 5 Airborne Brigade battlefield tour there in 1988. It was a fascinating experience to hear this still dynamic personality describe how all problems were overcome and to hear what he had to say about being made to spend several months subsequently as an adjutant to Hermann Goering, who was basking in the reflected glory of this young Knight's Cross winner.

awesome analysis and video, much better than history channel etc. This should be shown in history classes.

Super interesant og dejlig nørdet :-) Thanks alot for all your effort

Amazing! I love this video

They had shaped charge technology? Didn’t know that. Great video.

Great Video!

great video! subscribed

Also from Belgium ! Great content

Those pesky Fallschirmjägers kept turning up throughout WW2

I read the story of Fort Eben Emael more than 45 years ago in Readers Digest. Later I realized how well everything was planned and how great these people were trained. I was working at the time in a country far away with a team of different people (races and skin color). I made my supervisors reading the story and ask them why did this Germans succeed when even there leader was absent! Witzig came too late to the action. The points we discussed were: 1) Well trained men 2) Determination 3) Well organised It helped my team to understand that they can do it, if they train their team, be determined and improve their work place.

There is an amazing story around these events, you won't believe it's true (a Mark-Felton-Story?): One of the belgian AA-gunners, named Sluismans, visited, prior to the war, an airshow at the airfield in Evere, close to Brussels. The glider competition of this airshow in Evere was won by Karl-Heinz "Heiner" Lange. It was that Heiner Lage who landed in the assault his glider right between the AA-guns.

The scale of this fortress is absurd, thank yo for capturing that aspect. One thing I don't understand is why the different rooms within the tunnels are so far spread out.

Excellent video

Visited this place several times, it’s only 25 km from my home.

Wonderful. I will donate to your channel as soon as I can.

I have one for this. Incredible. With all due respect especially for your staff, who has to put up with you, I have one word. Corregidor

Nice work

I just finished a book about Danish concentration camps with 240,000 prisoners. Not much info to find about. I wrote a biography of a lady who spent 4 years there. Her first husband was one of 9 pilots that landed on Eben Emael and was shot down at Stalingrad but survived. Her uncle was Hitler's Luftwaffe adjutant. maybe you can make a side trip to Oksboel in Denmark, the largest Danish post-war concentration camp. She was there from 45 to 49 with her mother and grandmother. Her grandmother was one of the 17,402 people who died in the camps of disease and starvation. she made the trip from the east to Denmark with Operation Hannibal. They passed burning Kolberg and sailed across the sunken Gustloff and von Steuben amongst others. The Danes don't seem/want to know about the story. Outside Denmark it is totally unknown.

Another great video and tour! I'm with Gerry, a 50kilo inside would make me run for my life up the stairs as well! I'm at the end and are still chuckling over a priest, a ball, and girls!